Firearm ejector



Jan. 14, 1969 A. J. LIZZA FIREARM EJECTOR Sheet Filed May 25, 1961 INVENTOR. AHJEH; JZLizzu BY j ay z a 9 41124? Jan. 14,1969 A. J. LIZZA 3,421,242

FIREARM EJECTOR Filed May 23, 1961 Sheet 2 of 5 Fi E 1- i El v E1 98 Ea: y ,98 103 Q INVENTOR.

A113 B1 1; 1. Li 2211 1% @124; Hz- J 94% Jan. 14, 1969 A. .1. LIZZA 3,421,242

FIREARM EJECTOR Filed May 25, 1961 Sheet 3 of a K 2O 54 -ee 20 IN V EN TOR.

M13511 JZLIIIZZ'EL United States Patent 3 Claims The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms and more particularly to ejector devices therefor.

It is an object of this invention to provide for firearms, in which a round of ammunition is fed into the receiver without longitudinal movement and in which the fired case remains in the fired position until ejected, and ejector for ejecting the fired case longitudinally from the receiver.

It is another object of this invention to provide such an ejector which is carried by a member which is energized for longitudinal reciprocation responsive to the discharge of the round.

It is also an object of this invention to position the ejector in the path of movement of the round when moved into the receiver so as to be actuated by the incoming round to a retracted position clear of interference with such round until time for ejection of the fired case thereof from the receiver.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such an ejector which is pivotally mounted so as to make angular contact with the base of the fired case below the fulcrum point of the ejector for converting the linear pressure applied by the ejector to the fired case to rotational displacement of the ejector in a direction to prevent disconnection thereof from the fired case.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown. in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a firearm for projecting grenades which firearm is shown mounted on a rifle barrel and is partially cross-sectional to show the arrangement of the parts, when the firing pinis in cocked position, and to show the components in the round of ammunition;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, longitudinally, cross-sectioned, side view of the firearm with the firing pin in the striking position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the firing pin in the overtravel position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 but showing the fired tube displaced by the ejector for forward ejection from the receiver;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the retainers disengaged from the tube; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective, exploded view of the firing pin group including the ejector.

Shown in the figures is a grenade launcher which is a completely, self-contained firearm 12 for discharging by semiautomatic operation a round of ammunition 14 including a grenade 16. Such firearm is distinguished for its simplicity of construction and lightness of weight so that it may be replaceably mounted on a rifle barrel 17 by suitable latching means 18. Firearm 12 differs from conventional launchers for grenades by not requiring any assistance for operation from another gun and so may be 3,421,242 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 supported for operation by any well-known, self-contained means.

Round 14 and firearm 12 are similar to corresponding elements disclosed by Stanley D. Silsby in his copending application for Semiautomatic Grenade Launcher, Ser. No. 112,123, filed May 23, 1961. Round 14 includes a cup-like tube 20 which acts as a barrel for controlling the initial flight of grenade 16 inclosed therein and is provided within an annular groove 22 adjacent the base. Grenade 16 is projected from tube 20 by a propellant charge 24 which is discharged by a primer 26 contained in a central pocket 28 in the base of tube 20. A piston 30 is slidingly disposed in pocket 28 for actuation against primer 26 for initiation thereof and for rearward displacement responsive to the initiation. Grenade 16 is pr vided with a pre-engraved, rotating band 32 which matingly engages with rifling 34 inside of tube 20 for imparting a rotating component of movement to the grenade when projected therefrom.

Firearm 12 includes a body 36 which is essentially of inverted triangular configuration. The front portion of body 36, equal to the length of tube 20, is reduced in thickness by cutting away the lower section of such front portion to form a receiver 38. A longitudinal channel 40 of arcuate cross-section is formed along the underside of receiver 28. The radius of channel 40 is similar to that of tube 20 so that the tube is receivable by such channel when pressed upwardly therein. Channel 40 is terminated at the rear end by a vertical wall 42 which also forms the front end of a breech-block 44 formed in body 36 rearwardly of the receiver. A rack 46 depends vertically from breechblock 44 adjacent wall 42 so that the front surface of the rack, noted at 48, is in vertical alignment with such wall.

Extending forwardly from opposite sides of rack 46 is a pair of vertically disposed, L-shaped flanges 50 which are laterally disposed so as to form with surface 48 a T-slot matingly engageable by groove 22 of tube 20 when slidingly installed in rack 46 from the bottom end thereof, whereby tube 20 is slidingly maintained in rack 46 and is directed thereby to receiver 38 so that the base of the tube abuts wall 42 when positioned in the receiver for discharge. Rack 46 is arranged as to length so as to hold two tubes 20 when one is positioned in receiver 38. Flanges 50 are received, as noted at 52, at the upper ends to permit forward ejection of tube 20 from receiver 38 after being discharged. However, a pair of retainers 54, to be described hereinafter, are mounted in breechblock 44 to releasably retain tube 20 in receiver 38 until time for ejection therefrom,

The lower end of rack 46 is bifurcated by a clearance 56 which is traversed by a laterally disposed pin 58. Pivotally mounted on pin 58 is a follower 60 which is biased by a torsional spring 62 against the bottom one of tubes 20 in rack 46 for pressing such tubes upwardly towards receiver 38.

Primer 26 of the tube 20 is initiated by a firing pin 64 which is disposed for longitudinal reciprocation in body 36 between a forward striking position and a rearward overtravel position. Firing pin 64, more fully described in the aforementioned application by Stanley D. Silsby, includes a laterally disposed, cross-piece 66, which is received by breechblock 44, and an integral pair of piston portions 68 which extend respectively from the lateral ends of the cross-piece into mating bores 70 extending longitudinally from breechblock 44 through receiver 38 on opposite sides of channel 40. Spring devices 71 are operationally disposed between piston portions 68 and receiver 38 for biasing firing pin 64 to the striking position. A striker 72 extends forwardly from cross-piece 66 so as to be extendable through an orifice 74 in breechblock 44 for striking contact with piston 30 of tube 20 when positioned in receiver 38. Piston portions 68 extend into bores 70 suflficiently to enagageably cooperate with the retainers 54 which are slidingly disposed in breechblock 44 for actuation between an inner engaging position and an outer disengaged position relative to tube 20. Each of the retainers 54 is provided with a hook 78 which extends downwardly, forwardly of wall 42, to be receivable by grooves 22 for releasably holding tube 20 against forward displacement when positioned in receiver 38.

Retainers 54 are actuated to the engaged positions thereof by the sliding engagement of a cam surface 80 on each of the piston portions 68 with a cooperating cam portion 82 on the outer ends of the associated one of the retainers. Each of the cam surfaces 80 is formed at the rear end of a channel 84 which extends rearwardly in each of the piston portions 68 from the front end thereof. Cam surfaces 80 are positioned so that, when firing pin 64 is disposed rearwardly of a position wherein it is held cocked by a trigger-sear device 86 and is adjacent the overtravel position, the outer ends of retainers 54 are received by the channels 84 which provide clearances so that the retainers are free to be biased by cooperating springs 88 to the disengaged positions. When firing pin 64 is disposed between the cocked and the striking positions, retainers 54 are held depressed in the engaged positions thereof by the contact of the top of retainers 54 with the outside surfaces of the piston portions 68. Cam surfaces 80 and cam portions 82 come into contact when firing pin 64 moves into cocked position from the overtravel position.

Tube 20 is automatically ejected from receiver 38, after projection of grenade 16, by an ejector 90 which is mounted between a pair of laterally disposed flanges 94 extending upwardly and rearwardly from cross-piece 66. Ejector 90 is supported for pivotal displacement between an upper retracted position and a lower ejecting position by a pin 96 which extends laterally through the flanges. Ejector 90 is L-shaped in configuration and includes an arm 98 which extends forwardly from cross-piece 66 to be receivable, when the ejector is in the retracted position, by a vertical slot 100 formed in body 36 so as to extend between breechblock 44 and receiver 38 wherein the slot communicates with channel 40. Ejector 90 also includes a leg 102 which extends downwardly along the rear end of cross-piece 66. A spring-pressed ball 104 is housed within a bore 106 extending longitudinally into cross-piece 66 from the rear end thereof and is disposed from contact with leg 102 for biasing ejector 90 to the ejecting position wherein arm 98 is displaced downwardly out of slot 100 so that the front end of the arm, noted at 103, is positioned for contact with the base of tube 20. Arm 98 is displaced into slot 100, against the bias of ball 104, by tube 20 when moved into receiver 38 by follower 60. The length of arm 98 is so arranged that end 103 is clear of tube 20 in receiver 38 when firing pin 64 moves into overtravel position, whereby front end 103 is free to be pressed downwardly by ball 104 into position for engagement with the base of tube 20 during the sequential travel of the firing pin from the overtravel position. When ejector 90 is in the ejecting position, a surface 110 on arm 98 is in contact with the top of cross-piece 66 (FIG. 3) and front end 103 is disposed below the level of pin 96, whereby the pressure exerted by ejector 90 against fired tube 20 for ejection thereof is converted to rotational displacement of arm 98 in a direction to press surface 110 against the top of cross-piece 66 and thereby assure retention of the ejector in the ejecting position thereof.

Thus, round 14 is discharged for projection of grenade 16 by actuation of trigger-sear device 86 which releases firing pin 64 for initiation of primer 26 by striking piston 30. During such travel of firing pin 64 from the cocked to the striking position, arm 98 slides along on the outer surface of tube 20 positioned in receiver 38 and within slot 100.

Responsive to the initiation of primer 26, piston 30 is actuated rearwardly against striker 72 for energizing firing pin 64 for cyclic reciprocation. During the rearward flight of firing pin 64, front end 103 of arm 98 moves free of fired tube 20 when the firing pin goes into overtravel position. Whereupon, ejector 90 is free to be biased to the ejecting position by spring-pressed ball 104 with arm 98 being actuated downwardly so that end 103 thereof is positioned in back of the base of fired tube 20. Retainers 54 are displaced at approximately the same time to the disengaged positions through the registry of the channels 84 with the tops of the retainers.

During the subsequent forward flight of firing pin 64 from the overtravel position, front end 103 contacts the base of fired tube 20 which is thereby ejected forwardly from receiver 38. The forward ejection of fired tube 20 is possible as retainers 54 are disposed in the disengaged positions. When firing pin 64 moves into cocked position, where it is stopped by trigger-sear device 86, fired tube 20 is sufliciently energized for ejection thereof from receiver 38 and cam surfaces on firing pin 64 have contacted the cam portions 82 on retainers 54 which are actuated thereby to the engaged positions.

When fired tube 20 is clear of receiver 38, the next one of the tubes in rack 46 is pressed upwardly into receiver 38 by follower 60. During the positioning of such subsequent tube 20 in receiver 38, arm 98 is contacted thereby so as to be pushed up into slot 100. When tube 20 is fully positioned in receiver 38, groove 22 receives hooks 78 of the retainers 54 to hold the tube against forward displacement until time for ejection.

From the foregoing it is clearly apparent that there is provided herein an ejector for firearms in which a round of ammunition is fed thereinto for discharge without longitudinal movement and in which the fired case remains in the fired position until ejected.

I claim:

1. A firearm in which a round with a case is fed into the firearm without relative longitudinal movement to a position to be discharged and the case after discharge remains in the fired position until ejected, said firearm including a member energized for reciprocation in forward and rearward movement by the discharge of the round, an ejector carried by said member for displacement therewith and for relative pivotal movement between a retracted and an ejecting position, said ejector including an arm disposed for engagement by the round when fed into the firearm to move said ejector to the retracted position and for sliding contact with the case to hold said ejector in the retracted position during rearward movement of said member, a front end on said arm arranged to clear the case during rearward movement of said member, and means for biasing said ejector to the ejecting position after said front end is clear of the case to position said front end in back of the case for transferring forward movement of said member to the case for ejection from the firearm.

2. The firearm as defined in claim 1 wherein the reciprocating member is a firing pin for discharging the round.

3. In a firearm having a breechblock and a receiver disposed forwardly thereof for receiving for discharge a round of ammunition including a tube, a rack for holding the round and for directing the round without relative longitudinal displacement into the receiver so as to abut the breechblock, a firing pin disposed for longitudinal reciprocation between a forward firing postion and a rearward overtravel position, means for transferring the energy produced by discharge of the round to said firing pin for cyclic reciprocation thereof and a trigger-sear device for releasably holding the firing pin in a cocked position between the overtravel and striking positions thereof, an ejector, means for mounting said ejector to the firing pin for longitudinal reciprocation therewith and for pivotal displacement relative thereto, said ejector including an arm disposed for extension into the receiver and into the path of movement of the round thereinto so as to be pivotally displaced by the round to a retracted position and so as to be slidingly held therein during displacement of the firing pin between the searing and striking positions, said arm including a front end arranged to be moved free of the round to permit displacement of said arm to a position wherein said front end is forwardly contactable with the tube when the firing pin moves into the overtravel position, whereby said arm is positioned for forwardly ejecting the tube of the round from the receiver during subsequent forward travel of the firing pin from the overtravel position, and means operationally disposed between said ejector and the firing pin for biasing said arm to the position for engagement of said front end with the rear end of the tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,869,268 1/1959 Sefried et al 42-25 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

1. A FIREARM IN WHICH A ROUND WITH A CASE IS FED INTO THE FIREARM WITHOUT RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT TO A POSITION TO BE DISCHARGED AND THE CASE AFTER DISCHARGE REMAINS IN TH FIRED POSITION UNTIL EJECTED, SAID FIREARM INCLUDING A MEMBER ENERGIZED FOR RECIPROCATION IN FORWARD AND REARWARD MOVEMENT ENGERIZED FOR RECIPROCATION IN FORWARD EJECTOR CARRIED BY SAID MEMBER FOR DISPLACEMENT THEREWITH AND FOR RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED AND AN EJECTING POSITION, AND EJECTOR INCLUDING AN ARM DISPOSED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE ROUND WHEN FED INTO THE FIREARM TO MOVE SAID EJECTOR TO THE RETRACTED POSITION AND FOR SLIDING CONTACT WITH THE CASE TO HOLD SAID EJECTOR IN THE RETRACTED POSITION DURING REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMEBER, A FRONT END ON SAID ARM ARRANGED TO CLEAR THE CASE DURING REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR BIASING SAID EJECTOR TO THE EJECTING POSITION AFTER SAID FRONT END IS CLEAR TO THE EJECTING POSITION AFTER END IN BACK OF THE CASE FOR TRANSFERRING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER TO THE CASE FO EJECTION FROM THE FIREARM. 